Fully articulated periscope camera system

Abstract

The camera or periscope system may include a taking lens, a beam steering device, a relay device, and an image rotation device. The camera or periscope system can be used to image in situations where the camera is not easily redirected to view a desired object of interest. The camera or periscope system is designed to be fixed to a mounting platform where the taking lens can be configured to point to the desired object of interest.

1. A fully articulated periscope system comprising:
 a lens configured to produce an image; 
 a beam steering device configured to receive a ray of light from the lens and configured to redirect the ray of light at least three times and each time at a substantially right angle, wherein the beam steering device rotates with the lens; 
 a relay lens configured to receive the ray of light from the beam steering device; and 
 an image rotation device configured to receive the ray of light from the relay lens and to rotate the image. 
 
     
     
       2. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the lens is a zoom lens. 
     
     
       3. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly. 
     
     
       4. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the lens is a rotatable lens that can rotate 360 degrees. 
     
     
       5. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more mirrors. 
     
     
       6. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more prisms. 
     
     
       7. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device is selected from a group consisting of 2 prisms, 3 prisms, and 4 prisms. 
     
     
       8. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises a field lens to direct the ray of light to the relay lens. 
     
     
       9. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises coherent fiber optic bundles. 
     
     
       10. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens. 
     
     
       11. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the relay lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly. 
     
     
       12. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the relay lens is positioned within a folded housing. 
     
     
       13. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the relay lens changes the intermediate image size to match a desired image format. 
     
     
       14. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the relay lens comprises a plurality of different relay lenses having different magnifications. 
     
     
       15. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Pechan prism. 
     
     
       16. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Compact prism. 
     
     
       17. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens, the relay lens is a straight multi-element lens assembly, and the image rotation device is a Pechan prism. 
     
     
       18. The periscope system of  claim 1 , wherein the relay lens comprises a zoom lens. 
     
     
       19. A fully articulated periscope system comprising:
 a housing; 
 a taking lens configured to receive light that produces an image; 
 a first right angle prism positioned adjacent to the taking lens, configured to receive the light from the taking lens, and configured to redirect the light at a first substantially right angle; 
 a field lens positioned adjacent to the first right angle prism and configured to receive the light from the first right angle prism; 
 a second right angle prism positioned adjacent to the field lens, configured to receive the light from the field lens, and configured to redirect the light at a second substantially right angle; 
 a third right angle prism positioned adjacent to the second right angle prism, configured to receive the light from the second right angle prism, and configured to redirect the light at a third substantially right angle; 
 a relay lens positioned within the housing and configured to receive the light from the third right angle prism; and 
 a Pechan prism configured to receive the light from the relay lens and rotate the image. 
 
     
     
       20. A fully articulated periscope system comprising:
 a lens configured to produce an image, the lens is a rotatable lens that can rotate 360 degrees; 
 a beam steering device configured to receive a ray of light from the lens and configured to redirect the ray of light at least three times and each time at a substantially right angle; 
 a relay lens configured to receive the ray of light from the beam steering device; and 
 an image rotation device configured to receive the ray of light from the relay lens and to rotate the image. 
 
     
     
       21. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the lens is a zoom lens. 
     
     
       22. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly. 
     
     
       23. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more mirrors. 
     
     
       24. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises one or more prisms. 
     
     
       25. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device is selected from a group consisting of 2 prisms, 3 prisms, and 4 prisms. 
     
     
       26. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises a field lens to direct the ray of light to the relay lens. 
     
     
       27. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises coherent fiber optic bundles. 
     
     
       28. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens. 
     
     
       29. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device rotates with the lens. 
     
     
       30. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the relay lens comprises a multi-element lens assembly. 
     
     
       31. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the relay lens is positioned within a folded housing. 
     
     
       32. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the relay lens changes the intermediate image size to match a desired image format. 
     
     
       33. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the relay lens comprises a plurality of different relay lenses having different magnifications. 
     
     
       34. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Pechan prism. 
     
     
       35. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the image rotation device comprises a Compact prism. 
     
     
       36. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the beam steering device comprises 3 right angle prisms and a field lens, the relay lens is a straight multi-element lens assembly, and the image rotation device is a Pechan prism. 
     
     
       37. The periscope system of  claim 20 , wherein the relay lens comprises a zoom lens.